Telegraph-repeater



C. W. McKIBBEN.

TELGHAPH BEPEATER.

APPLICATION mm ma. 27. Isra.

Patented June 24, 1919.

w www WWW CHARLES W. MCKIBBEN, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS.

TELEGRAPH-REPEATER.

l Specication of Letters Patent. Patented June 24E, 1919.

Application led February 27, 1918. Serial No. 219,399.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. MCKIB- BEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraph-Repeaters, of which the following is a specifi: cation.

My invention relates to improvements in telegraph repeaters.

The objects of my invention are to improve repeaters by simplifying the apparatus. By reducing the time factor of operation to the end that the repeater works snappy and substantially without lag thereby increasing its capacity and clearness of transmission. By reducing the physical resistance to operation thereby maintaining a larger range or margin of current strength within which the repeater will satisfactorily Y operate.

Other, further and more specific objects of my invention will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art, from a consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein- Figure 1 of the drawings shows a diagrammatic arrangement of relays and circuits showing one embodiment by which my invention may be carried into effect.

Fig. 2 shows the devices connected in multiple.

The repeater is entirely automatic and does not require constant manual supervision at the repeater station.

There is no balancing resistance, to be constantly adjusted to correspond with the' changeable resistance o-f the line, due to weather vari-ations and resultant leaks, as required by some of the repeaters of the prior art, and furthermore the means for maintaining the opposite or receiver relay passive or inoperative during sending operation is accomplished. by a means made operative by the sender and by a means that has an instantaneous time element.

The repeater, which is the subject of this application, may be made up of special arrangements of circuits in connection with the ordinary telegraph relays, such as' are used at any of the intermediate or way olfices, consequently it is simple and easily to be understood by the inexperienced tyro' or plug.

By avalling myself of the use of the ordinary relay, without requiring instruments to be especially constructed for the purpose, the cost of the installation is incomparably small.

The operation is as follows: Assume, for example, that an operator in the easternl line is sending into the western line; whenvhe opens his key the relay R is open, the tongue 1 is retracted by the spring r breaking contact with front contact r2. This opens the local circuit in which the local battery LB is contained, which can be easily traced. The transmitting rel-ay T |and the short circuiting relay SR are connectedin parallel circuit with each other and the two coils of each of these relays are connected in parallel with each other, as sho-wn in Fig. 2. Both sides of the circuit are thus connected in the same manner.

When the tongue r leaves the contact r2, the tongue t of the transmitter relay T opens the west line. The tongue s of the relay SR is drawn back by the spring s into electrical connection with its back stop contact s2; this action short circuits the tongue r and its contact rb of the relay R by the wires 3 and 4, so that the local batt-ery LB is maintained closed so long as the circuit through relay R is opened and it can only be opened when the sending operator in the east line has closed his key. When he closes his key the relay R attracts its tongue r, closing the local circuit, causing the transmitter T to close the kwest line circuit, through the battery WB, and the relay SR to open the short circuiting circuit, containing the wires 3 and 4L and the tongue r that is responsive to relay R',

The back contacts S2, of the relays SR are adjustedy very close to the front contacts so that the responsive tongues move the shortest possible distances so that the tongue of the opposite relay is short circuited before the circuit has been fairly opened by the senders relay R or R, as the case may be.

There is no spark between the tongue s and the back contact s2, because, while these instrumentalities are opening and closing a circuit around the tongue and contact of the opposite relay, the local circuit which they control is already closed by them. Therefore, the adjustment may be very close to reduce the time period of operation and furthermore the spring s may be made relatively strong so as to be quickly and actively operative.

The resistance rheostat RH bridges the break made between the tongue r and the contact r2. The resistance is relatively high and substantially non-inductive and takes the kick of discharge of the magnets of T and SR. These magnets, however, being connected in multiple, see Fig. 2, discharge into each other, and the two coils of these relays being connected into circuit in multiple with each other, further reduce the effect of their self inductance at the said break so as to practically kill the spark.

The resistance RII is very high, serving to just maintain a very slight current in the circuit when said contacts are open.

It may be replaced by a suitable condenser or dispensed with altogether without materially affecting the operation of the repeater.

It will be manifest to persons skilled in the art when a sender on the west line desires to send into the east line that the instrue ments appertaining to that line will work in the same manner, as the arrangements for one line is duplicated for the other.

My repeater is Jfast in action, because of the quick, lively discharge of the coils; because the moving part, the tongue of the ordinary relay, has relatively little momentum and inertia. It is simple and easily to be understood, because there are no unusual special instruments in'its composition.

If desired, an ordinary sounder may be connected in local circuit with the transmitters T and T so that the repeater operator may hear and receive from the respective sounders when either side is sending.

Having described my invention, what I claim is l. A telegraph repeater comprising two line relays, one for each side and each relay connected to the ground through a line battery; a transmitter relay, for each side, controlled through a local battery by the respective line relay; a short circuiting relay for short circuiting the contacts of the relay of the opposite side, the coils of the transmitter relay and of the short circuiting re lay of each set beingy in parallel circuit with each other. n l

2. A telegraph repeater comprising two line relays, each connected directlyA to ground, through a line battery; one on each side; a transmitter relay on each side controlled through a local battery by the respective relay and a relay for each side having a back contact to short circuit the contacts of the relay of the opposite side when the local circuit containing said short cir cuiting relay is open.

3. A telegraph repeater comprising two line relays, each connected to the ground through a line battery; a transmitter for each side, controlled through a local battery, by the respective line relay and a relay for each side in parallel circuit. with its transmitter, responsive to the respective line relay to short circuit the contacts of the passive or opposite line relay when the circuit through the active line relay is open.

4. A telegraph repeater comprising an or dinary line relay having its coils `connected in parallel with each other and each said line relay connected to the ground through a line battery and to the respective line; a transmitter relay of the same character as the line relays on each side, in a local battery circuit, responsive to the respective line relays and another relay of the same character, in parallel with the transmitter relay adapted to short circuit the contacts of the opposite line relay when its line circuit is open.

5. A telegraph repeater having two duplicate sides, each side having a `Morse relay connected to the ground through a battery and to the opposite main line; a Morse relay transmitter and another similar short-circuit relay, connected in parallel circuit with the transmitter relay, and adapted to shortcircuit the contacts of the opposite line relay on its back contact, saidtransmitter relay and said short circuiting relay in a local circuit controlled by said line relay, all of said relays having their respective coils connected in parallel circuit with each other.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES W. MGKIBBEN.

Witnesses:

A. B. MAERCKY, A. B. ALLEN.

Copies 0f thispatent maybe obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

